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Blueberry Pie Donut Bars Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Blueberry Pie Donut Bars Recipe

I made these blueberry pie donut bars on a slow weekend morning and I haven't stopped thinking about them since. They come out pillowy soft on the inside with a golden, slightly chewy outside, and once you bite in and hit that warm blueberry filling, you'll understand the hype.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 9
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Whole milk 1 cup, warmed to about 110F – this wakes up the yeast, so it needs to feel warm, not hot
  • Granulated sugar 1/3 cup – feeds the yeast and sweetens the dough and the blueberry filling
  • Active dry yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons – gives the bars that pillowy, airy rise, so make sure it's fresh
  • Greek yogurt or sour cream 1/4 cup – keeps the dough soft and tender all the way through
  • Salted butter 4 tablespoons, melted, divided – adds richness to the dough and depth to the glaze
  • Eggs 2 large, room temperature – gives the dough structure so the bars hold their shape while frying
  • Vanilla bean paste or extract 1 teaspoon for dough, 1 teaspoon for glaze – rounds out the flavor in every layer
  • Bread flour 3 1/2 cups – builds a chewier texture that holds up well in the fryer, though all-purpose works too
  • Salt 3/4 teaspoon – balances the sweetness so the dough doesn't taste flat
  • Fresh or frozen blueberries 2 cups – the heart of the filling, no need to thaw if frozen
  • Lemon juice 1 tablespoon – brightens the blueberry compote and keeps it from tasting one-note
  • Cornstarch 1 tablespoon – thickens the compote so it stays put inside the bars instead of leaking out
  • Powdered sugar 2 cups – forms the base of the smooth glaze that coats each bar
  • Neutral oil for frying about 4 cups – choose something with a high smoke point like avocado or vegetable oil
  • Whipped buttercream and shortbread crumbles optional, for topping – purely for extra texture and looks

Method
 

  1. Whisk the warm milk, sugar, and yeast together in a bowl and let it sit for about five minutes. You're looking for a foamy, bubbly top, which tells you the yeast is alive and ready to work. If nothing happens after ten minutes, your milk was likely too hot or too cold, so start over.
  2. Add the yogurt, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, flour, and salt to the yeast mixture and mix on low with a dough hook for one minute. Let it rest for five minutes so the flour can soak up the liquid, then knead on medium for about six minutes until the dough is smooth and only slightly sticky.
  3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and set it somewhere warm for about an hour to ninety minutes. It should double in size before you move on. Rushing this step is the easiest way to end up with dense bars later.
  4. While the dough rises, simmer the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the berries break down, stir in the cornstarch mixed with a splash of water and cook until thickened. Cool it completely before filling the bars.
  5. Roll the risen dough into a large rectangle about half an inch thick, then cut it into even three-inch squares. Place each square on its own parchment paper square so it's easy to lift later without deflating it.
  6. Cover the cut bars loosely and let them proof for thirty to forty-five minutes until visibly puffy. This second rise is what gives the bars their soft, cloud-like interior once fried.
  7. Heat your oil to between 350F and 365F, then lower two or three bars at a time into the pot using their parchment squares. Fry for about a minute and a half per side until deeply golden, then transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
  8. Whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and a little warm milk until smooth and pourable. If it thickens while you work, a quick ten seconds in the microwave brings it right back.
  9. Once the bars are just warm to the touch, pipe the cooled blueberry compote into the center of each one until it slightly puffs. Dip the tops in glaze, then finish with whipped buttercream and shortbread crumbles if you're using them.

Notes

  • I always check my yeast is truly foamy before moving on, because a flat mixture means the whole batch won't rise properly.
  • I let my dough go the full rise time even when I'm impatient, since a rushed rise gives me flatter, denser bars.
  • I chill my compote in a shallow dish instead of a deep bowl, which cools it down much faster.
  • I keep my oil temperature steady by frying only two or three bars at once instead of crowding the pot.
  • I glaze the bars while they're just warm, never hot, so the glaze sets instead of sliding right off.